Securing Devices at Home and Work
COVID-19 has blurred the lines between home and work. We have all had to learn to juggle work while kids are distance learning. We have had to learn new software and conferencing systems, not to mention paper files and what to do with those while at home. Our home is now our office! We must follow the security practices that our employer has put in place. Here are some things that you can do to secure your devices at home and work:
Start with the basics - Keep your software up to date. Use strong complex passwords and don’t reuse them on different accounts. Use a password vault!
Use your work device for work – Using a personal device for work introduces many vulnerabilities; likely it doesn’t have the same security controls and also has other non-essential applications on it like games. Don’t let others use your work device and be sure to lock it when walking away, just like you would in the office.
Secure your home network – Ensure you have WPA2 or WPA3 encryption standards set up on your router. Here is some guidance from the FTC that may help you Secure Your Wireless Network.
Keep sensitive paper files secure – There may be times that you need to transfer sensitive paper files from the office to home. Be sure to keep them secure by keeping them out of sight and locked up, just like you would in the office.
Shred any sensitive paperwork – Don’t just throw away or recycle sensitive files, shred it! Paperwork often times contains information about customers, company, or employees and it can be used by those with less than good intentions.
Video conference securely – Use passwords when setting up video conference call to ensure only those you want in attendance can join. Close applications and information that doesn’t pertain to the current call so that you don’t accidentally share.
Be aware of rise in phishing – Especially important during times of fear and curiosity like that of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Do not click on links that look suspicious or are from unknown or unexpected senders. If you have doubts, verify they are legitimate by calling or direct messaging the sender.
If you are in charge of security for your company, hopefully you have laid out clear, actionable guidelines for your employees. Those should include reminder of the security policies as well as what services they should be using from home and what is not appropriate. This is the time to double down on awareness campaigns and send out responses to FAQs.
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